Other Lives: A multi-instrumentalist for multiple bands

By Michael Lohmeier

Thursday

Jun 14, 2018 at 3:16 AMJun 14, 2018 at 3:16 AM

Stacy Bugg is persistent. After watching a friend play guitar, he decided that he would learn to make music, too. He decided to start a band with some friends. But first, they would have to learn how to play their instruments. He remembers, “I worked all summer in the freezer of an ice cream company — saved all my money to buy my first bass.” By then, his friends had lost interest. So, he started teaching himself to play. “I bought the Berklee College of Music Theory 1 book,” along with a book of Led Zeppelin music. “I practiced eight hours a day for a year. I got lucky and just took to it.”

At age 17, he started playing in local Seacoast bands. “In 1993, I wrote a business plan and with a couple of investors opened an 8-track demo studio,” he said. “I did that full-time for about 15 years.” He continued his musical self-education, and in addition to the bass, he’s added drums, guitar and piano. He also sings.

The focus on bass had a practical side. “It was the thing that was needed at the time,” he said. “Then, everyone wanted to play guitar and drums, so I got the most work. I sing and play bass, so that made it easier to find work.”

He returned to school to get his bachelor’s degree and eventually a master’s degree in accounting. He also became certified as a CPA in Massachusetts. He found employment as a controller at a car dealership in Somersworth.

“When I was playing full-time and paying my rent [with music], I had to accept any gig any time. Now, I can choose who I play with and what and where I play,” he said.

“Within months of getting my bachelor’s, I joined a band called The Amazing Mudshark.” As part of the band’s win at the 2000 Guitar Center/Diamond Hill Studios Band Slam, the Amazing Mudshark received a $10,000 recording contract with Diamond Hill Studios. Their website lists other awards and honors: Boston Best Drummer Competition Finalist, Boston Rhythm Section Competition Finalist and Guitar Players Magazine-New Talent Section. The Mudshark has performed in venues such as Foxwoods Resort & Casino, the Hard Rock Cafe, the Bitter End, Johnny D’s, The Call, The Kendall Cafe, The Middle East and The Attic. While accumulating mileage across the Northeast, the Mudshark has managed to release three CDs — "Can’t Be Easy," the 14-song "Everyday Above Ground" and their most recent release, "3."

Bugg said he was heavily influenced by Tonight Show house band bass player Will Lee.

“Any time there was live music being played in New York, and there was a camera on it, he was playing bass. That was my goal, to be an employed bass player. Not the rock star or anything like that, just always working, playing bass.” He added with a laugh, “I could walk down the street and no one would recognize me.”

In addition to The Amazing Mudshark, he also plays in three other bands: Woodland Protocol, Where’s Alan, and Reckless Echo. Reckless Echo is an outlet for his original compositions. Writing original music isn’t always easy. “Sometimes it’s hard because inspiration isn’t coming from anywhere. The last time I gave myself a week to come up with lyrics for 12 songs. I took vacation the following week to [record] the basic tracking.” Challenging himself led to “some really great songs,” he added. “Maybe some not as good as they could have been if I’d fleshed them out more [but] if I’d waited for lightning to strike, it might never have happened.”

The CDs help showcase his skills as a multi-instrument musician. He finds the most satisfaction in playing live. “I go crazy trying to reach perfection,” in the studio. “If I’m in a good mood, it’s finished. But if I’m in a bad mood, everything is horrible. Then you go see a concert with a phenomenal drummer and you think, ‘I’ve got to scrap all the drums on all 10 tracks.’”

“I just love playing,” he said. “You have to enjoy playing, because sometimes it’s just you and the bartender and the guy running the door. I enjoy playing and knowing somebody is getting something out of it. Playing good music with good people ... you’re just kind of feeding off each other. People moving in the same positive direction makes it that much more fun.”

For more information, please visit: www.stacybugg.com

www.recklessecho.com

stacybugg@yahoo.com

Michael Lohmeier lives in Portsmouth writes a bi-weekly feature on the second lives many people lead outside of their main professions. Know someone who would make for an interesting profile? Drop a line to edge@seacoastonline.com and share a bit about their story and their contact information. See more Other Lives profiles online.

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